Show review: Jason Webley, Destroy Nate Allen, The Gunshy at Panchos, 6/22

By Braden Nesin

Jason Webley (photo: Braden Nesin)

I walked through the door at Panchos just as The Gunshy was getting started. Picture, if you can, an acoustic punk Tom Waits, strumming his guitar and belting out ballads in a voice like gravel. He started out a little too rough around the edges for my tastes, but by the end of his set he was really growing on me. Self-referencing his heavy Pogues influences was a nice touch. All alone up there on stage he really gave it his all, and there’s no denying the kid has heart.

Mere moments after The Gunshy left the stage, Destroy Nate Allen took the floor, encouraging everyone to gather around them. They ushered people up on to the stage, along the walls, anywhere there was space for another body, and then proceeded to do their thing.

This adorably married couple from Portland, Oregon represent everything that I love about truly great punk rock. They screamed, they jumped around (a lot) and they had more fun than anyone within a five mile radius. This wasn’t so much them putting on a show as having a blast with a bunch of old friends they just met. They ran around the inside of the circle they had created, singing in peoples' faces and getting the crowd to sing along with them. They sang songs about eating more vegetables, songs about love and songs about which one of them was more punk rock (this tour it was Nate). Despite knowing who was coming next, I was genuinely sad when their set ended. Destroy Nate Allen are definitely a must see if they ever come back to Chicago.